Eagles' Jackson a Legit Deep Threat

Throughout the Andy Reid/Donovan McNabb era in Philadelphia, the biggest complaint in Philadelphia is the lack of a game-breaker at the wide receiver position. With the exception of the 2004 season when the Eagles had volatile wideout Terrell Owen, the Eagles haven't had a game-breaking wide receiver. The Birds went to the Super Bowl that season with Owens as their starting receiver.

So far in the 2009 season all the noise about McNabb not having that big-time go-to receiver has been muted by the performance of players like second-year wide receiver DeSean Jackson, who has become one of the most dangerous weapons in the Birds offense.

Statistically, none of the Eagles receivers are in the top 10 among the NFL's best, but McNabb does have receivers who are capable of making that game-breaking play at anytime.

(Continue to NFC 'Easter)

Giants, Eagles Tangle for First Place

The question for the New York Giants (5-2) as they come into this week's NFC East showdown against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field is whether the offense and the defense are going to show up at the same stadium?

After the defense was shelled for 48 points by the New Orleans Saints the previous week, the offense couldn't get out of its own way in the Giants 24-17 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. The New York offense committed four turnovers—including three interceptions by quarterback Eli Manning.

Against the unbeaten Saints, the Giants defense gave up 493 yards of total offense while the offense piled up 325 yards of offense, but the Giants offense could only muster 84 yards on the ground with the tandom of Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw. But then again, the Saints put the Giants in such a big hole that the running game couldn't help the G-men.

(Continue to NFC 'Easter)

Raiders Give Voice to Past

We had just lifted our beer glasses to the sky to toast a great day of football, when an old, wonderful voice came booming across the frosty hills of Southwest Germany and through the double doors of the Grill Room.

By now, we were into the wee hours -- and many, many pils -- of this Monday morning.

It was right about the time the Raiders (The Raiders!) were putting the finishing touches on their improbable win over the heavily favored Eagles, when we heard it...

(Continue to The Grill Room)

Buccaneers Stagger Into Philly

Call the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lowly and you'd be elevating their stature in the world.

When it comes to lowly, the Buccaneers have made it an art form through the first quarter of the NFL season.

If four losses in a row isn't enough to make you a non-believer, then how about this week's visit to Philadelphia?

In previous years, the Buccaneers have tormented the Eagles. They've been a nemesis for Philly-fan. But not this time. With Donovan McNabb back at quarterback and Brian Westbrook good to go, the Eagles are armed and ready.

The Buccaneers?

They are playing without using arms most of the time, especially when it comes to tackling.

(Continue to Buccaneer Bow Shots)

Eagles Look to Rebound after Loss

PHILADELPHIA—The one thing that Eagles fans learned Sunday in their 48-22 loss to the high-powered New Orleans Saints is that their team has a long way to go before it can really consider itself among the elite teams in the NFC.

“It wasn't right today in any phase of it,” said Eagles head coach Andy Reid. “It was an absolutely horrendous performance.”

Granted, the Birds were without injured starting quarterback Donovan McNabb, but even with his presence would not have been enough to stop a juggernaut of a Saints offense that simply had its way with the Eagles defense, who gave up the most points at home since 1962.

On a day where the Birds were starting second-string quarterback Kevin Kolb, the Birds needed to play well on all sides of the football. In the first half, the Eagles offense managed to keep up with Drew Brees and company and trailed by four points at the intermission.

(Continue to NFC 'Easter)

Eagles Plagued by Doubts

After being a listed as an odds-on favorite to win the NFC East based on their free agent acquisitions and the draft, the clouds of doubt are starting to gather around the City of Brotherly Love.

And those who picked the Birds are now having second thoughts.

Perhaps the biggest concern is their patchwork offensive line. Guard Todd Herremans is out with a foot injury and Shawn Andrews, who didn't play at all during the pre-season, is still nursing that bad back that kept him out of last season.

So that means a pair relatively inexperienced lineman—Winston Justice (right tackle) and Nick Cole (left guard) will open the season on the road against the Carolina Panthers, who have an All-Pro defensive end named Julius Peppers.

(Continue to NFC 'Easter)

Philadelphia's Big Baby

The Eagles franchise, 26 year old offensive linemen, Shawn Andrews, is a dominant and gifted football player.

He has a love-able, youth personality that earned him the nickname "The Big Kid." Andrew lists Willy Wonka as his favorite movie of all time and owns a framed copy of a golden ticket. A few years ago, he went up against professional sumo wrestlers outside of the NovaCare Complex. He even sports a dyed "bro hawk" hairdo to show that he can joke around and have fun.

(Continue to Philadelphia Sports Scene)

Pittsburgh with a Philly Chaser

After clearing the joint last night, our bartenders knocked back the good hooch and set about putting together our inaugural NFL 100-PROOF RANKINGS.

Why bartenders, you ask? Because in all of your life, and all the people you've ever known, have any of them, even once, made more sense than a bartender?

Prost!

THE STRONG STUFF

• 1) Pittsburgh (100 proof) The Grill Room subscribes to the thinking that the champ is the champ until proven otherwise. Plus, Pittsburgh runs the best organization in football.
• 2) Philadelphia (94 proof) This is a nasty team, and the controversial Vick signing signals that they are all-in this year for a title. Better be, because the window's closing fast.

(Continue to The Grill Room)

Super Bowl or Bust for McNabb

PHILADELPHIA—Shortly after the Eagles lost to the Arizona Cardinals in last year's NFC Championship Game, the radio sports talk shows in this town were full of fans and media pundits wanting to run quarterback Donovan McNabb out of town on a rail.

To McNabb's detractors, it was another case of him choking in an NFC title game. After all, McNabb is 1-4 in conference championship games. Never mind that McNabb had brought the Birds back from a 24-6 halftime deficit to a 25-24 lead with under 10 minutes left in the game or that the Eagles defense allowed the Cardinals to march down the field to score the go-ahead touchdown while chewing up the clock, it was all McNabb's fault.

(Continue to NFC 'Easter)

Donovan McNabb: Fragile Porcelain Doll

Upon further review, the Donovan McNabb-Michael Vick marriage isn’t headed for an early annulment after all. Not even a counseling session. That’s not to say you can afford to let your attention drift away from it, though.

For a couple of days, it seemed as if the biggest obstacle to Vick’s return would not be Roger Goodell, or PETA, or the vast reaches of the BWG (Bitter White Guy) Radio Network – but the very quarterback who supposedly had lobbied to bring Vick into the Philadelphia Eagles’ fold. McNabb clearly was not overjoyed with exactly how Vick was used in his comeback game against Jacksonville last week. However, he insisted Tuesday as he tried to “re-calibrate’’ his post-game comments, there was no rift between him and Vick and no objection to having him there.

(Continue to The Steele Drum)

Vick Recap and First-Place Phillies

I really do not enjoy doing this but being that I am writing a blog regarding Philadelphia Sports I feel it is necessary to give what I observed of Michael Vick's debut in Philadelphia--before I talk about more serious matters at the moment such as the 1st place Philadelphia Phillies.

Vick showed up to a standing ovation. Some sports journalists in the city thought the fans would booo incisively, not sure why they predicted such a reaction, but regardless custom Vick jerseys and t-shirts are all over the city. Outside of Lincoln Financial Field on Thursday there were a handful of protesters and anti-Vick signage---again more was wrongfully and illogically predicted (but there were a few protesters at Broad and Pattison).

(Continue to Philadelphia Sports Scene)

NFC East on Road to Super Bowl

To say that anybody can win the NFC East is a gross understatement. In the last three years, at least two teams from the division made the playoffs. In the last two years, a representative from the NFC East has played for a conference championship. In 2009, the road to the Super Bowl will definitely come through the NFC East.

The hard part is trying to figure out which one. You can certainly make an argument for all four teams. It's not too hard to go out on a limb and say that three teams from the East will make the playoffs. All four teams have upgraded their talent and are capable of winning it.

(Continue to NFC 'Easter)

New Eagle Lands Without Big To-Do

The headline: “New Eagle Has Landed,” words that had nothing to do Thursday night with a moon landing.

The words referred to a much-anticipated event, one that, while significant in its own way, could never measure up to a more historic occasion decades ago.

The new Eagle was Michael Vick, a convicted felon who was trying to resurrect an NFL career that unraveled like a spool of thread because of Vick’s fascination with fighting – and then lying about -- pit bulls.

(Continue to Justice Is Served)